


Band Forged Bonds

by Ash0605



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Afterglow and HHW are very minor side characters, Birthday, Concerts, Everyone Is Gay, Gen, Masuki and Rei go to a concert, Masuki starts to simp for HHW, Rei starts to feel some uncomfortable feelings, Tags Are Hard, before canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-13 15:40:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28905753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ash0605/pseuds/Ash0605
Summary: After their stint as backup musicians, Masuki invites Rei out to a live show at CiRCLE. Rei enters with an open mind but leaves somewhat unsure of herself.HappybelatedBirthday Rei!
Relationships: Satou Masuki/Wakana Rei
Kudos: 14





	Band Forged Bonds

“That’s a wrap! I’ll be counting on you all on the day!”

After the band directors dismissal, the congregation of musicians began to pack up their things and take their leave, leaving the plain, soundproof room with nothing more than a cordial goodbye. Rei didn’t mind the lack of conversation and would have done the same thing were it not for the yellow haired drummer packing up next to her.

“You were pretty good today Wakana-san!” Masuki praised coolly. Her voice would always trail off at this point, leading Rei to believe that Masuki always wanted to say more but didn’t for whatever reason. Similarly, Rei got the sense that Masuki was holding back while playing her drums. It was difficult to explain, but it seemed like she was holding something in, like she was containing a caged beast.

“As were you, Satou-san.” Rei reciprocated, nodding cordially.

Still sitting with her drum set, Masuki leaned forward and flashed Rei a wide grin. Between that and the grey maxi skirt, black crop top and red football jacket she was wearing, she gave off a truly menacing aura. “Say Wakana-san, are you free tonight?”

“I am. Are you wanting to go for ramen again?”

“We can if you want, though that’s not what I was thinking of. I was thinking we could just go to a live house and hang out.”

Rei tilted her head curiously. She wasn’t expecting that. “A live house… So one that plays music?”

“Yeah, one of those! Live house CiRCLE isn’t far from here, and it’s pretty consistent with hosting bands. I’d take you to the one my dad runs but its further away and a bit more expensive.” Masuki held out her hand to Rei, who saw an enthusiastic glimmer in her gold eyes. “Well, are you up for it?”

Rei hoped Masuki wouldn’t notice her furrowed brow as she pondered her offer, fumbling with one of the necklaces around her neck. She didn’t have anything planned for the evening other than practice and any homework she still had to do, maybe also some singing by herself if she had time. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been to a concert. Hell, she couldn’t even remember the last time she had even treated herself. Her mother was always complaining that she was too frugal with her money, even for her high standards.

After a few seconds of thought, Rei nodded and smiled pleasantly as she reached to grab Masuki’s hand. “I’d love to go with you. I don’t think I’ve been to a live house for a long time.”

Masuki matched Rei’s smile with a rough one of her own, using Rei’s hand to pull herself up to her full height. Rei wasn’t sure how old Masuki was, but she was almost as tall as her. “I wasn’t sure what response I was going to get, but I’m glad I asked now! I’ll make sure you won’t regret it! Are you comfortable riding a scooter? If you are I can get you there in about 5-10 minutes.”

“A scooter…?” Rei tried to remember the car park outside, picking through the varied collection of cars and other motor vehicles. She froze in shock when a vivid picture of the motorbike parked by the car parks exit flashed through her mind. “You… ride bikes? Like the one parked outside?”

Masuki hoisted her drumsticks over her shoulder and smiled at Rei knowingly as she made her way out of the room. “That’s the one. I’ll meet you outside.”

\----------

After 10 or so minutes of driving, Masuki’s motorbike came to a halt in a parking space close to live house CiRCLE. Rei hopped off the bike first, followed by Masuki who propped the bike up and hung her helmet from one of the side mirrors. “How was the ride?” she asked confidently.

“Really comfortable, actually. You’re a great driver.” Rei replied naturally. She didn’t think any words could communicate how comfortable the ride actually was compared to her expectations. The only uncomfortable thing about the ride was the cold air of the evening pushing past her, nipping between the tears in her jeans.

“You seemed a bit hesitant before we set off, so I’m glad it all worked out! How did you like the helmet?”

Rei pulled the helmet off her head, which was grey and plain in comparison to Masuki’s, which was black with a fiery pattern emblazoned along the bottom. She looked at the helmet with a mix of curiosity and confusion, not sure what to say in reply. “It was… alright? I’m glad you had another one with you and it made feel a lot more comfortable riding.”

“That’s good! That helmet is normally reserved for cute girls, but I’ll make an exception for those who are as serious about music as you are!”

Rei blinked and did a double take at the helmet, noting internally that it wasn’t particularly cute at all. “I… see. Have you had many cute girls riding with you?” she asked, her outward confidence betraying how sheepish she felt deep down.

“Not yet, but it always helps to come prepared, right?” Masuki replied, smiling and winking knowingly. She turned to observe live house CiRCLE’s entrance and Rei’s eyes followed. The wide windows and clear front door allowed a lot of light to pass through, illuminating the café area outside. You could pick the building out from a long distance away. “It’ll be easy to get in, which is good considering how cold it is out here.” Masuki continued, noting the lack of a queue.

Rei covered her chest with her arms, also not dressed for the winter weather. “Shall we go then? I’m getting a bit cold too.”

“Let’s go!” Masuki grinned, leading the way for Rei.

The automatic glass doors slid out of the way when they got to the entrance, bathing the pair in the light, warmth and noise coming from the inside. The two girls sighed deeply, reveling in escaping the cold air of the night before making their way to the reception desk.

The single woman manning the desk gave the pair a friendly smile and a casual wave. She was wearing low cut jeans, a shirt made up of horizontal white and blue lines and a black cardigan. “Welcome! Are you two here for the performances?”

Masuki nodded. “Yeah we are.”

“That’s great!” the woman continued, clapping her hands together happily. “Are you two high school students? The price is only 600 yen if you are.”

“I am.” Masuki replied, passing the woman 600 yen and her school ID. After a few seconds and a quick look at the card, the woman slid it back and happily took the money.

“I am too.” Rei continued, sliding her own ID card and money over the clean, white surface. After contenting herself with Rei’s own ID, she returned the card and passed the two tickets over the counter.

“Have a good evening you two!” the woman cheered, moving to serve the next customer shortly after.

Rei led Masuki away from the receptionist’s desk before giving her a ticket. The live house wasn’t particularly furnished, but the wooden floor was sparkling and reflective and the clean white walls were covered in musical memorabilia, such as CD covers and upcoming and old performance dates. Other concert goers casually made their way down a set of stairs sat adjacent to the entrance, which Rei assumed led to the main stage. “Here’s your ticket- Satou-san?”

Masuki took a ticket with a shaking hand. Her face was pale, and her eyes were wide and lacking their usual enthusiastic vigor. “ _Je ne peux pas croire qu'elle est lycéenne…_ ” she murmured, leaning away from Rei.

“E-Excuse me?” What Rei heard sounded like French, but she didn’t want to assume. It was definitely foreign.

“S-Sorry! I know that’s rude of me to do. But…” Masuki clamped her hands other her mouth and hunched forwards. “I can’t believe you’re a high school student.” she mumbled, quiet but still audible.

Rei tried to stifle her laugh, but she couldn’t. She found it genuinely funny and taking it as a joke usually helped to console the person who had misjudged her age. They never meant it badly, and even if they did, the girl hunching over in embarrassment in front of her was the exception. “I’m a second year high school student. Just out of interest, how old did you think I was?”

“I thought you were a university student…”

Rei laughed out loud, stooping down to Masuki’s level afterwards. “A lot of people get my age wrong, so don’t worry about it! University student is actually a generous estimate, I’ve been presumed to be a lot older.”

Masuki uncovered her mouth and reared her head, though she didn’t meet Rei’s eyes yet. “Wait, so you’re saying you could walk into a bar and get away with asking for alcohol?”

“I suppose there’s a decent chance I could, but I would never try it.”

“I wouldn’t either. Us serious musicians have got better things to worry about, huh?” Masuki bantered, flashing Rei a goofy grin. “I think we’re actually in the same year, so I suppose there isn’t much need to be formal with each other anymore.”

“That’s a fair point!” Rei cheered, extending out her hand to help Masuki to her feet. “You can call me by my name if you want.”

“I’ll do that! Feel free to call me by my name too!” Masuki cheered.

After Masuki stood up and recomposed herself she returned to leading Rei. The pair ignored the small crowd their commotion had gathered and made their way down the steps and into the main hall. As they filed into the room and moved into whatever space they could, Rei noted that the room had a cool atmosphere. The walls and floor of the room were solid, grey concrete, causing the clear white stage to stand out in comparison. Amplifiers and speakers lined the back wall of the stage, and dozens of differently coloured stage lights were trained on it. Rei also noted a small booth at the back of the hall which was manned by a single staff member, who she presumed controlled the lighting and effects.

“So Masuki-san, do you know who’s performing tonight?” Rei asked, raising her voice to compete with the chatter of the people around her.

Masuki stroked her chin with her hand and looked deeply in thought for a few seconds. “That’s… somethin’ we ought to have checked.” she eventually answered. “I suppose it doesn’t matter much. It can be a surprise!” she concluded, somewhat proud of herself.

“I don’t mind surprises! I’m just worried about you. After hearing about my age I’m not sure if you’re ready for another one.” Rei joked smugly.

“Rei-san!” Masuki spluttered, gently elbowing Rei. “Yer’ know what I mean!”

“I know what you mean.” Rei chuckled.

The light conversation between the pair trailed off when they noticed the main lights dimming. The mixed chatter of the crowd (which by now completely filled the room) died off as the room darkened and was replaced with a silent anticipation. The stage lights illuminated the stage and the crowd rose up in uproar when the first band made their entrance. Rei could only pick out two groups of people among the cheering: young children yelling excitedly and schoolgirls screeching in delight.

When the noise died down, Rei had a chance to look at the 5 girls on stage. Or to be more accurate, 4 girls and one bear. An eccentric girl with flowing long yellow hair and bright eyes stood at the front, grabbing the orange microphone. Behind her was a plucky orange haired bassist and an elegant guitarist who snapped to a different flashing pose with her guitar every few seconds. Rei figured that the screeching was directed towards this girl rather than the bear standing at the back. The blue haired drummer cowered behind her drum at first but rose up to face the audience after she got used to the light and the noise. Finally, a bear stood at the back behind a DJ deck and Rei felt sorry for the poor sap who was squashed in there.

She only got a slight glance at Masuki, who looked oddly entranced, before the girl at the front started talking. “Hello everyone! We’re Hello Happy World! and we’re going to put bright smiles on all your faces! All together everyone! One! Two! Three!”

“HAPPY! LUCKY! SMILE! YAY~!” the crowd roared back. Rei and Masuki didn’t join in, but they also hadn’t seen this band before.

“Yay! Great job everyone! Without further ado, let’s begin with _Egao no Orchestra_!”

With a unanimous cheer from the audience, Hello Happy World! set to working through its setlist with enthusiastic vigor. They had a large range of songs, from exciting and energetic pieces and calmer and fluffier songs to a hip hop song with rap sections (The latter of these three especially caught Rei off guard). Most of the lyrics were simple and easy to understand, usually sticking to words designed to cheer people up and make them smile, though one orchestral song focused on the odd pursuit of a phantom thief. Rei found herself surprised by how much the front three performers were hopping and bouncing around the stage while still playing their instruments, though it did seem like the drummer and DJ at the back were focused on making sure the three in front didn’t do anything stupid due to their constant focus on them and the occasional worried expression. Despite this, thinking about herself as a bassist in the background started to feel somewhat underwhelming. Finally, Rei noted that the purple haired guitarist had a very particular appeal, since a certain section of the audience gasped and screamed whenever she winked or gestured to the audience (She was pretty sure she saw one girl faint at some point).

After 5 songs, Hello Happy World! concluded its performance with one last chant. The final ‘Happy Lucky Smile Yay’ was not hampered by the number of the songs they had performed. In fact, the only difference Rei noticed was that Masuki had joined in beside her.

As the girls on stage turned to leave, Rei turned to Masuki in confusion. The audience around them returned to an excited murmur as they awaited the next band. “M-Masuki-san?! You joined in?!”

Masuki turned to face Rei with sparkling eyes. “I did! That was amazing! Their songs were so happy and fun! The drummer at the back was also super cute!”

“T-The drummer?” Rei stepped back but found herself bumping into the person next to her.

“Yeah! God she was so cute! I swear, if I ever found her lost in Tokyo on her own I would do ANYTHING in my power to ensure her safety!”

“I think… anyone would do that to anyone who was that lost…” Rei laughed awkwardly, her voice trailing off and being suppressed by the crowd.

Rei suddenly felt firm hands grip her shoulders as Masuki drew her face in closer. “You don’t understand! I would DIE to ensure her safety!”

“R-right.”

“I HAVE to talk to you about the bear too! I don’t even know her name and I love her! Her fur looks so soft and hugs from her would be so warm and her DJing is so freakin’ cool!”

As Rei sought respite in her thoughts, Masuki’s high praise blended in with the clamor of the rest of the crowd. She couldn’t push away the feeling of unease slowly building within her stomach. Even if the performance was enjoyable and put a genuine smile on her face, her reaction was nothing compared to those of the people around her. She felt like a mouse standing in comparison to an elephant.

Should her reaction have matched those of the audience members around her? As a musician, should her outward appreciation of the music be more obvious?

Rei didn’t have much more time to dwell on her thoughts, which were dulled by a sudden uproar of the crowd. The noise coming from the people around her (including Masuki who was jumping and wildly pumping her fist into the air) heralded the arrival of the next band. The girl at the front, who had a dyed red streak of hair amidst the rest of her jet black locks, grabbed the microphone with vigor and waited for her four comrades to settle in place behind her. After the audience settled down, she started to speak.

“I love your energy CiRCLE!” the girl shouted, prompting a cheer from the audience. “I could hear you all from the back of the stage! We’re Afterglow, and I reckon we’ll have a good time today!”

“Rannnn~, can you stop trying to act all cool?” the guitarist stood next to the vocalist cooed. Her slow, monotone speech and the hoodie she was wearing suggested a more laid back personality.

Ran turned to the girl next to her and shrugged in annoyance. “I’m not trying to be cool Moca! I’m just trying to follow the script!”

“Yeah right.” Moca turned to address the audience, flashing them a smug smile. She cupped her hands over her mouth as if she were telling the audience a secret. “Keep this a secret between us but Ran cried at the ending of Sonic Adventure 2 when she was young~.”

“Moca!” The blush on her face bloomed in tandem with the audiences laughter.

The red haired drummer behind them let out a hearty laugh. “Please don’t mind these two everyone! They go way back!”

“You’re not helping Tomoe!”

The pianist at the back laughed weakly and gingerly rose her hand as if she were in a classroom. “Umm, technically don’t we all go way back?”

“Right we do, Tsugu~!” the pink haired bassist stepped forward, addressing the audience with an energetic and somewhat authoritative tone. “We banter like this all the time and we always stay together!” 

“That’s right Himari! We’ll always be together, the same as always!” Ran confidently spoke to the audience again, ignoring Moca’s forced laugh from behind. “Let’s start with our first song, _That Is How I Roll_!”

Afterglow started their set list with an excited cheer from the audience. The variety of songs they performed matched their different and colourful personalities, ranging from a country styled piece about a journey to a strange yet catchy song about them writing manga together. One of the songs seemed to speak directly to the bassist (who was later revealed to be the group’s leader) during which she and the main singer joined together in back and forth duets. While the songs and personalities were varied everything was united by the theme of their unbreakable friendship. Even if the lyrics of their songs didn’t directly mention their bond they always seemed to allude to it. The warm, lighthearted banter between the members taking place during the interval of each song hammered home the idea that they were very close friends.

No, they were more than that. It was as if their bond had manifested into an invisible, yet present line connecting them and keeping them together forever. Rei found it wonderfully heartwarming at first, but this feeling eventually turned into a feeling of constricting jealousy that made her stomach feel tight.

As she left the venue with Masuki after their performance, she yearned for a band forged bond with the girl she hadn’t seen since she was a child.

\----------

“…Afterglow’s bassist was unbelievably cute, and such a good singer too! I do think she was the butt of a few too many jokes though, even if they were well meaning.” Masuki’s endless recital of praise paused to study Rei’s blank looking expression. She stopped a few paces away from live house CiRCLE’s entrance and Rei stopped a few meters away after noticing that the sound of her footsteps were absent. “Rei-san, you doing ok? You look a bit sullen.” she asked gently. “You can tell me if somethings bothering you. No pressure though.”

Rei hesitated for a few seconds, figuring out how she wanted to communicate her thoughts. “Is it… Is it wrong that I wasn’t jumping around and joining in with the crowd? I feel like my appreciation for music should be more obvious, especially since I’m a musician.”

“Hmmm… I don’t think you should worry about that too much. Everyone has different music tastes and different ways of enjoying music, and that’s great! You had a wicked smile on your face at times during the concert, especially when Afterglow was performing, so I can definitely tell you had a good time.”

“That makes a lot of sense, actually. If you noticed that I had a good time, then maybe I’m overthinking it. That made me feel a lot better, so thank you Masuki-san.” Rei took a deep breath, after which her stomach felt lighter and the cold night around her felt less crushing. “I have one other thing to ask too, if it’s not too much trouble.”

“It’s no trouble at all. Shoot.”

“Is it normal to feel incredibly jealous after seeing a band perform?”

Masuki seemed quite shaken at the answer, stepping backwards. “You want to be in a band too, Rei-san?”

“I think that’s what it means?” Rei faltered, as if unsure herself. She had never felt this intense feeling of jealousy towards anything before and it all felt so foreign. “It’s not something I remember feeling before.”

“Any good band I watch makes me feel that way. Hell, the only reason I’m doing these backup jobs is so that I can work towards bein’ in a band myself one day.” Masuki closed her eyes and smiled to herself as she was presumably overtaken by her own thoughts. “The thought of being with people who are just as serious as you and tiring yourself out practicing and making kickass music with em’, and then going together to a bath house or a restaurant afterwards! It all sounds so freaking cool!” Masuki’s voice rose an octave as she excitedly let her imagination run wild.

Rei allowed herself a quaint smile as these same fantasies washed over her. “Yeah… It does sound cool.”

Masuki’s enthusiasm seemed to quickly dissipate as she rubbed her palms together awkwardly. Rei wondered if she was wanting to say something but didn’t have the correct wording or the right amount of courage. “Say, Rei-san?” Masuki asked, her tone faltering somewhat. “Are you… looking for any bandmates right now?”

Rei took a deep breath as she realized the stupidity of the answer she was about to give. “I… made a promise with a friend a long time ago to start a band together, so I’m… still waiting on that.” She felt herself wince when Masuki started speaking a few seconds later.

“That sounds so cool, like something out of a manga or something! I wish I had a friend like that to call on!” When Rei opened her eyes, she was confronted with a genuine happy smile instead of the judgmental and disappointed look she was expecting. “I’ll still say this though: you’re really talented and your great fun to hang out with! I’d be open to banding together if you ever changed your mind!”

“Oooo, I’ll definitely consider it. Thank you.” Rei felt at ease, the weight on her shoulders being somewhat alleviated. The fact that she hadn’t seen Tae for over a decade was probably better left unsaid.

“Don’t mention it! Do you want me to give you a ride home? It might be a bit too dark for you to be completely safe on your own.” Masuki asked.

“I’d be really grateful for that, if it’s not too much trouble.”

“It’s no trouble at all! I’m also qualified to drive at night time, so don’t worry.” She showed Rei her scooter license for proof and Rei nodded happily in response, feeling a lot better about the ride home.

The pair speed-walked to where Masuki’s bike was parked, keen to escape the cold bite of the night as quickly as possible. After donning her helmet and asking Rei for the street she lived on, Masuki started her engines, which roared to life and cut through the surrounding silence. With a confirming thumbs up from Rei the pair sped off into the distance, leaving the lights of live house CiRCLE behind as they set off for home.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday Rei! My apologies for uploading this a week late! 
> 
> When RAISE A SUILEN first came out, Rei was the character I liked the least out of the group. This isn't because she's a bad character! I just don't know too much about her, and to be honest I still don't (Not watching S3 really stings huh). Part of the delay in getting this out was from searching for good ideas. The other part was me being an idiot.
> 
> At first I feel like we all thought each RAS member was going to like one of the original five bands, which leads to the funny question of which of the scary looking girls would stan Hello Happy World. I think Masuki would stan HHW for obvious reasons and Rei would like Afterglow for wanting the dynamics they have with Tae. That's where the idea for this fic came from!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! If you have any comments or feedback feel free to leave them here! If you want to reach out on twitter feel free to do so at @ash060500
> 
> I hope you have a good rest of your day and I wish you the best in staying safe!


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